During his one-year term, Phillips will preside over the AFSA Board and Executive Committee meetings, serve as an ex-officio member of all AFSA committees, and represent AFSA at industry and association-sponsored conferences and meetings.

He has been involved in the association’s leadership since 1993, when he joined AFSA’s Board of Directors. From 1993-1994, he chaired the Independents Section Advisory Board. Phillips received the AFSA Outstanding Independent Award in 2001 in recognition of his significant contributions to the consumer finance industry’s growth.

Phillips joined Republic Finance in 1985, and was named CEO in 1989. Before joining the consumer finance industry, Phillips was an auditor with Arthur Anderson and held a number of positions at oil company Conoco. He received an MBA from the Harvard School of Business Administration and a BBA from Emory University.

In addition to his work with AFSA, Phillips is chairman of the Louisiana Art and Science Museum. Formerly, he was president of the National Installment Lenders Association, director of The Dunham School, and an elder in the First Presbyterian Church of Baton Rouge.

Based in Washington, D.C., AFSA (www.afsaonline.org) is the national trade association for the consumer credit industry, protecting access to credit and consumer choice. Its 350 members include consumer and commercial finance companies, auto finance/leasing companies, mortgage lenders, credit card issuers, industrial banks and industry suppliers.